Israel blocks Democratic Socialists delegation from West Bank university conference

Israel has stopped a delegation from the Democratic Socialists of America from attending a conference in the West Bank, the Washington Examiner reported on Tuesday. The delegation included organization leaders and left-leaning European politicians who tried to enter the area from Jordan on Monday. They were traveling to attend the Second Ramallah Congress at Birzeit University. [1]

The Washington Examiner reported that Israel regards Birzeit University as an institution linked to Hamas. The delegation was blocked at the border as it attempted to cross into the territory to reach the school. [1]

Separately, Al Jazeera reported that Israeli settlers assaulted three foreign journalists in the Palestinian village of Umm al-Khair, located in the Masafer Yatta area near Hebron. According to Al Jazeera, social media footage showed armed men beating United States journalist Jasper Nathaniel, Israeli-Russian activist Andrey X, and Russian activist Adele Shoko. Shoko stated that the settlers beat and threatened them before stealing their equipment and personal items. [2][3]

Al Jazeera reported that Andrey X lost consciousness during the incident and was taken to a police station. He remained detained without receiving medical care. [2]

The West Bank is a landlocked territory located on the western bank of the Jordan River. It borders Jordan and the Dead Sea to the east, and Israel to the south, west, and north. As FTMQ News reported earlier, violence in the region has included recent attacks by masked settlers on European diplomats in the West Bank village of Taybeh. [5][7][9]